One Day: A Musical
One Day: A Musical is a 2014 musical comedy film directed by Joe Kowalski and the first film produced by PogieJoe Productions.http://www.imdb.com/company/co0479120/?ref_=tt_dt_co The film was also written by and edited by the director in addition to his starring role. The story follows a fictional version of Kowalski and his disastrous attempts to celebrate the fourth anniversary of his YouTube channel–a real-life event that coincided with the release. http://www.limaohio.com/news/local_features-news/31196595/Young-director-to-debut-One-Day Themes include finding balance in life, the power of social communities, and the struggle of artistic integrity. The film is also notable for its list of minor celebrity cameos, most of which were filmed by the celebrities themselves in attempts to play YouTubers. Brief appearances are also included from fans from around the world from places such as England, the Netherlands, and Cyprus. The movie is the thiry-seventh and final episode of the fourth season of PogieJoe. It premiered at the Apollo Theater in Oberlin, Ohio on July 16th, 2014, and was released on YouTube on July 21st, 2014. Plot 19-year-old Joe Kowalski, also known as PogieJoe online, is celebrating the fourth anniversary of his YouTube channel with a party he's throwing in commemoration of all the video creations made over the years with family and friends. Although his online friends (comprised of several minor celebrity guest cameos) seem quite thrilled, his siblings are not. They feel as though Joe has been too wrapped up in himself and clearly don't feel the same excitement that he does. Meanwhile, two suited goons arrive at Joe's house and end up kidnapping him. Joe is interrogated by Anna, the young woman who had sent out the suited men. Their goal is for Joe to give up his YouTube channel and 'join the business world' where he could make a real living and enjoy numerous monetary benefits. Joe reacts in disgust and barely escapes into an alleyway where he is picked up by an older gentlemen. The old man is also apprehensive of Joe's life's choices. Joe is still not at ease once entering the building. His friends gently chide him for not hanging out with them more often and for not doing things with them. Annabelle pulls Joe aside and advises that he escape for the time being. Joe retreats to a nearby woods for some alone time. Deep into them he meets Smucky O'Reilly, a self-proclaimed 'partaker of the senses.' Unlike everyone else throughout the day, Smucky seems to understand Joe completely and encourages him to unleash his creative side. The two spend time exploring and having fun without any worries until Joe beings seeing a side of Smucky he doesn't particularly enjoy: the forest wanderer never does much but run around and think silly thoughts all day. Joe, who realizes how awful it was to leave his friends in potential danger, returns to the party. Joe's party has been reduced to boredom. Joe returns, profusely apologizing, when he notices Anna directly outside the room. Everyone is now in panic. Friends block the main door and lead Joe to the back door where he attempts to escape from the suited thugs. Upon leaving the building, Joe has a revelation. He suddenly sees the business world advocates and Smucky reflected back to him instead of his own image. Trapped in the parking lot, he vocalizes his discovery...those people weren't truly real. They were visual interpretations of his fears of moving forward in his life. He then realizes that both sides could work together. He could still move forward and make money for his art while holding onto his integrity and artistic excitement. Neither one had to be demonized; they could work in harmony. This epiphany is ruined by Joe's friends, who all come rushing out of the building to tie him up. The 'YouTube anniversary' party was intended by his friends to be an 'intervention party.' They explain that they care about Joe but believe he has gone too far into himself with his YouTube endeavors. Joe reminds his friends that the videos they had created over the past four years brought them together, not the other way around. The memories they had created would be there for years to come to share with each other and the whole world. He also vows to try being a better friend and not 'such a jerk.' The last straggler on the other end of the rope is revealed to be the old stranger who had given Joe a ride earlier. He doesn't join Joe. Instead he throws down the rope mumbling that they were still wasting their lives. The party once more becomes a YouTube anniversary party, and Joe talks exuberantly to his friends, promising to come to more events with them. In return, they are already coming up with ideas for more videos. The film ends with a bouncy number about moving in the future. Cast * Joe Kowalski as PogieJoe, an excited YouTuber celebrating his fourth anniversary on the site. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3680638/ * Marcella Largent as Anna, a crazed businesswoman * Lucas Caprara as Smucky O'Reilly, a whimsical wanderer * Owen Dabek as Nathaniel, one of Anna's henchmen * Dylan Bomba as Eugene, another of Anna's henchmen * Becca Kowalski as Becca, and Ben Kowalski as Ben, fictional versions of Joe's real-life siblings who is exasperated about Joe's excitement over YouTube * Chris Carrillo as Chris, a loyal friend to Joe who just can't seem to give Joe a present * Annabelle Fisher as Annabelle, a strange girl who claims to know prophecies * Jim Strang as the Stranger, who thinks that Joe is wasting his life with his interest in YouTube Guest Cameos * Erik Estrada http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/one_day_a_musical/ * Wally Wingert * Stephen Pastis * R. Stevie Moore * Andy Umberger * James Lurie * Rob Nagle * Adrian Annis * Stacy Shirk * Mack Leighty (AKA John Cheese of Cracked.com) * Michael Markman * Laura Pederson Four of the cameos are from people who have appeared in shows created by Joss Whedon: Andy Umberger (Firefly, Angel, Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Stacy Shirk (Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, Much Ado About Nothing), James Lurie (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), and Rob Nagle (Buffy the Vampire Slayer).http://www.pogiejoe.com/one-day-a-musical.html Kowalski claims that Whedon is one of his biggest influences and was thrilled to work with people who had been part of his filmography. Production The entire length of time it took to create the film was approximately five months. Kowalski's YouTube channel PogieJoe, as featured in the film, normally had a yearly anniversary YouTube celebration but he thought he would take a gamble to try something much larger than his usual YouTube output.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lapuBcg8TfI Over half of the money was raised on Indiegogo. Funders included SocialBlade.com's Jason Urgo. Filming took place over a mere week's worth of time on a Canon C100, over which many of the cast and crew documented the making of the film on social media. Filming took place in Oberlin, Wellington, and Elyria, Ohio. Bryan Clark served as the director of photography, while Nancy Jamison was the assistant director.http://www.norwalkreflector.com/article/4598191 Music Joe worked with his father, John Kowalski, to write the songs for the show with John working on the main score as well. John, whose background is in piano work, helped Joe represent a wide variety of music such as Sinatra-era easy jazz in "The Corporate World" and a corny '80s rock ballad for "On Youtube."http://www.wkyc.com/videos/entertainment/movies/2014/06/11/10351623/ Theatrical release The film premiered at the Apollo Theater in Oberlin, OH (Joe's hometown) on July 16th, 2014 and was released on YouTube for free on July 21st, 2014. http://www.loraincounty.com/entertainment/feature.shtml?f=33493 Half of the proceeds will go towards the Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital. Home media The film will be available on DVD and Blu-ray in Autumn 2014 with exclusive bonus material. Some of the Indiegogo funders will receive complimentary DVDs. https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/one-day-a-pogiejoe-musical The soundtrack will also soon be available on iTunes and Spotify. References External links * Official Website * IMDB Page * Rotten Tomatoes Page * Official Film Trailer Category:2014 films Category:2010s comedy films Category:2010s musical films Category:English-language films Category:American independent films Category:2010s independent films Category:Season 4 Category:Episodes Category:Celebrities Category:Anniversary